Highlights about Planning & Zoning

The council links the downtown plan to UDO updates, weighing simpler zoning, incentives for taller buildings, and the new down‑zoning limits. Members back stronger flood and stormwater mandates while protecting affordability goals, revisit the 1,000‑unit affordable housing target, and hear a firm stance to allow data centers only with conditional rezoning and a community benefit agreement.

The council debates three paths for Durham Athletic Park—from preserving its baseball legacy to opening a larger, barrier-free green—while weighing costs, survey feedback, and the impact on pro sports. The board also reviews financing and oversight for the Villages of Hayti and hears resident concerns about new landlord rules.

The council unanimously raised purchasing thresholds, setting services at $250,000 and most others at $500,000 to free meeting time for policy work. Members also celebrated the Chicken Hut’s historic designation for its civil rights legacy and community impact, and later narrowly approved annexing Heartland Park with an increased affordable home commitment.

The council debated and narrowly approved a 310-acre Gateway at Brier Creek mixed-use project on Highway 70, weighing concerns about emergency response, traffic, and sprawl against promises of affordable housing and economic growth. Residents and council members voiced strong opinions on infrastructure, collaboration, and the future of Durham’s growth.